He who kicks straight wins

[perfectionist]

If we kick straight against PA we will win. If we don't we won't. Simple as that.

[saintdooley]

If we kick straight against PA we will win. If we don't we won't. Simple as that.

if we kick out to the wing, and kick backwards etc we wont win!
i dont see why we cant go down the guts as much as possible???
but yes, we will need to kick alot better! what was last weeks score? something like 17.15? if we want to win this week we cant afford to kick 15 behinds!

[perfectionist]

If statistics mean anything then we will have to be on our game. We have won only one of our last ten against PA and that was by 4 points courtesy of a mis-kick after the siren by Motlop (poor chap). We have only beaten PA once at AAMI, in their first year in the comp, our GF year - 1997. But we are 6 goals better than them if we tackle hard and don't let them run on the outside - and kick straight!

[Armoooo]

We will win if we apply the pressure, and that is not just from Ball, Hayes, Baker and Armitage (although they will be the main contributers) we also need the rest to tackle well stop their run and carry.

Our accuracy in front of goal this week will need to improve by atleast 20% also, this is VITAL.

[True Blue Sainter]

Looks like there will be a few selection headaches this week...

Chad Cornes - who do we put with him? If he plays in the midfield, he'll be hard to match up on due to his height and strength overhead? Goddard? OR will he go to Riewoldt and look to drag him out of the play?

Peter Burgoyne - seems to be relishing the opportunity to direct play from half-back and stream forward on the counter. Very dangerous player. Who can we ask to stop him?

Shaun Burgoyne - Bakes - this is your man...

[evertonfc]

i dont see why we cant go down the guts as much as possible???

You must be ecstatic with Jason Gram's form this year.

Hey, kick it long and down the middle, but if the ball gets turned over and sets up the opposition for a forward thrust, who cares, eh?

"Kick it down the guts" is the cry of the fan who, well...mmm...I'll leave that unsaid.

[super dooper]

Port Adelaide are our achilies heel. Mark Williams must simply rub his hands together knowing that we get them in Adelaide for round 6 coming back from Perth.

They always dominate us for some reason, and is honestly the only game of the year which i have absolutely zero confidence in us winning. Im normally very optimistic (thought we'd take it all the way to Geelong a couple weeks ago), but mentally Port have the edge over us and we need to stop them.

A win here is easily worth 8 pts and %.
I budgeted on us being 4-2 after 6, losing to geelong and port, so i win will get us back on track. Easier said than done.

Chadwick always kills us, someone other than Blake on him this time would be nice.
Rodan, the Burgoynes, Lade, and their dynamic forward line are also concerns of mine.

IMO we should not play Gehrig for this game, as he always has no impact against Port.

We simply need to beat them in and around the stoppages, if we get enough shots on goal and entries inside our forward 50 we will win, otherwise we could stare down the barrel of another loss to Port.

Go saints, please prove me wrong and slaughter those ferals.

[brown-coat]

3 things to worry about.

1. Chad Cornes
2. Corrupt umpires
3. Inaccurate kicking.

[The_Dud]

3 things to worry about.

1. Chad Cornes
2. Corrupt umpires
3. Inaccurate kicking.

easily solved.

just stand an opponent next to him, it won't know what the hells going on

the most unaccountable footballer in the game, i don't think i've ever see him actually have an opponent, let alone beat one

[markinUSA]

I was watching Roo lead in the forward line last week. He often went a long way (left) towards the boundary. I sometimes wondered if these bad angles were contributing to our kicking inaccuracy. I wonder if we can supply our fowards with the ball at a better angle. I don't understand why that doesn't happen - honestly, I don't know why. But I was thinking that would improve our kicking accuracy.

I do worry about playing the good teams - and sure, Port has a good record against us and are favourites to win - BUT they are really out of form (exxcept for last week, which could be a one-off)... so that gives some ground for optimism.

I'm sending positive messages our way, and I'll be cheering the boys on. Join in, make some noise... maybe that will get us over the line!

[SainterX1]

i dont see why we cant go down the guts as much as possible???

You must be ecstatic with Jason Gram's form this year.

Hey, kick it long and down the middle, but if the ball gets turned over and sets up the opposition for a forward thrust, who cares, eh?

"Kick it down the guts" is the cry of the fan who, well...mmm...I'll leave that unsaid.

Well said. Drives me nuts when people continue to say this, then go off about just bombing it in when it is inevitably turned over.

[n1ck]

I was watching Roo lead in the forward line last week. He often went a long way (left) towards the boundary. I sometimes wondered if these bad angles were contributing to our kicking inaccuracy. I wonder if we can supply our fowards with the ball at a better angle. I don't understand why that doesn't happen - honestly, I don't know why. But I was thinking that would improve our kicking accuracy.

I do worry about playing the good teams - and sure, Port has a good record against us and are favourites to win - BUT they are really out of form (exxcept for last week, which could be a one-off)... so that gives some ground for optimism.

I'm sending positive messages our way, and I'll be cheering the boys on. Join in, make some noise... maybe that will get us over the line!

I thought Port had actually played some very good football, just this season seemed to lack that killer instinct and finish with a win. Until last week.

They were very good in perth. Danger game.

[midas_touch]

3 things to worry about.

1. Chad Cornes
2. Corrupt umpires
3. Inaccurate kicking.

Not to mention the best ruck combination in the game, with Lade and Brogan.

[aussiejones]

Leave gehrig out

We need run against PA.

We need to get game time into younger brigade

I would even consider giving Gram a rest ......

We need pace ......

[plugger66]

Leave gehrig out

We need run against PA.

We need to get game time into younger brigade

I would even consider giving Gram a rest ......

We need pace ......

So leave Gram out when you want pace and run. I think you have picked the wrong week.

[aussiejones]

I am a GRAM FAN ......but he is clearly out of form / confidence or whatever ...... thats why I would consider giving him a break

[saintbrat]

someone supplying the journos again


http://insidefootballonline.com/news.html
SAINTS MUST BE KICKING THEMSELVES
Over the past four seasons, there has been a steady decline in St Kilda’s accuracy rate in front of goal, which is costing the Saints games and ladder position, writes BRETT ANDERSON.

NEVER has there been a better example of just how much poor kicking for goal can cost you than two weeks ago at Telstra Dome.
Playing reigning premier Geelong, the Saints went to quarter time having dominated the clearances 13-2 (including the first 11), won the contested ball 31-23, taken 15 inside-50s to 12, yet having kicked 4.7 and leading by only seven points.
Against Geelong, there’s the ball game, right there. With such profound dominance all over the ground, expending that sort of energy, to reap anything less than six to seven goals is unacceptable.
You simply can’t keep a team such as Geelong out of the contest; it’s hard enough to beat them with a level playing field let alone keeping them in the game with poor conversion when you have momentum.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[Mr Magic]

Looks like there will be a few selection headaches this week...

Chad Cornes - who do we put with him? If he plays in the midfield, he'll be hard to match up on due to his height and strength overhead? Goddard? OR will he go to Riewoldt and look to drag him out of the play?

Peter Burgoyne - seems to be relishing the opportunity to direct play from half-back and stream forward on the counter. Very dangerous player. Who can we ask to stop him?

Shaun Burgoyne - Bakes - this is your man...

I actually hope you're correct with this scenario. It would be great for us.

If Chad Cornes goes to Roo he will get killed by him. Cornes is like Scarlett and like to run around without being accountable. Unlike Scarlett he doesn't seem capable of beating a good opponent.

If Peter Burgoyne goes to hbf, then Ball should immediately go to him. I'd back Bally to totally nullify any creativity from Burgoyne.

I also would send Bakes to the other Burgoyne.

That would leave L.Fisher for Ebert.

[Teflon]

someone supplying the journos again


http://insidefootballonline.com/news.html
SAINTS MUST BE KICKING THEMSELVES
Over the past four seasons, there has been a steady decline in St Kilda’s accuracy rate in front of goal, which is costing the Saints games and ladder position, writes BRETT ANDERSON.

NEVER has there been a better example of just how much poor kicking for goal can cost you than two weeks ago at Telstra Dome.
Playing reigning premier Geelong, the Saints went to quarter time having dominated the clearances 13-2 (including the first 11), won the contested ball 31-23, taken 15 inside-50s to 12, yet having kicked 4.7 and leading by only seven points.
Against Geelong, there’s the ball game, right there. With such profound dominance all over the ground, expending that sort of energy, to reap anything less than six to seven goals is unacceptable.
You simply can’t keep a team such as Geelong out of the contest; it’s hard enough to beat them with a level playing field let alone keeping them in the game with poor conversion when you have momentum.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

What a great read.

Ive been mulling the stats over since Geelong game....I just wanted to see how the Cats would react with some REAL scoreboard pressure applied. I wouldve liked to see thier ball movement had we kicked 9.2 in the first as opposed to 4.7....but alas...

Ablett/Bartel - zilch impact for mine easily negated by Hayes and Hayes....
Johson....different story...we simply have no match up and when Woczjinski gets in on the act your in trouble. Kelly also killed us - a barometer for mine, hes a kind of player than when the going gets tough hes long gone....so when they are up and about hes a front runner.

Not to mentione Scarlett;s annual flogging of Gehrig and Ling squeezing th nuts outta dal santo till he becomes a eunuch.

Regardless, BALL MOVEMENT is my key worry and to be honest I think its a major factor in our fwd set up - we still dont look coordinated or dangerous going forward (when we click its for a qtr or so...before we let sides back in....). Very interesting stats on corridor use - Cats have this down well.....we have to get some zip back into ball movement AND finish the job by kicking the goal when we get our chances. Milnes there to do this - unforgivable for him, Roo and Kos to miss some of the monties they did against Bummers.....